


Baby, I'll Bite the Bullet (I'll Take the Blow for Love)

by failwolfhale



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Laura, Don't ask me why, Hales are alive, Kate didn't happen, because I said so, derek is still a werewolf, he's just not emotionally constipated, marine!stiles, the other hales are still alive though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-16
Updated: 2013-11-16
Packaged: 2018-01-01 17:53:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1046806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/failwolfhale/pseuds/failwolfhale
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Derek tried his hardest to get back to normal, if not for his own sake then for his family's. He couldn't keep being the zombie that he'd been acting like the first few weeks. So he forced a smile and after awhile he thought people even started to believe it.</p>
<p>But at night he still went to bed and he tossed and turned with nightmares until he woke up even more exhausted than he had been before he went to sleep. The only days that he got any sleep were the days when he found Stiles' letters in his mailbox because they were just another confirmation that Stiles was still alive, that somewhere on the earth Stiles still existed to let his hand move a pen across a page to form words meant for Derek. That was enough.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Baby, I'll Bite the Bullet (I'll Take the Blow for Love)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [officerstilinskihale (flawlessfairytales)](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=officerstilinskihale+%28flawlessfairytales%29).



> I wrote this fic mostly while listening to Made in the USA by Demi Lovato. It's super cute and this was sorta kinda based off the music video a bit. 
> 
> For the love of my life, [Juily](http://officerstilinskihale.tumblr.com). Our two month anniversary was on the 11th. I know this is a few days late, babe, but here you go. Happy anniversaryyyyy, <33

Sometimes Derek thought it would be easier if Stiles weren't human, that he wouldn't have to worry so much if Stiles could heal like Derek could. But Derek knew himself too well. He would worry about Stiles even if he had skin impervious to any sort of injury. Derek was a worrier. Laura and Cora pointed that out often. 

++ 

_It was warm and balmy outside, the sky like a diamond encrusted blanket overhead as stars blinked down at them. Derek was working at the county fair doing most of the manual labor - fixing up rides and helping to put up tents. He was carrying a huge hay bale for the little old couple that ran the hayrides when he looked up and spotted a group of friends, one man in particular catching his eye._

_They all seemed to be paired up except for the whiskey eyed man - a cute dark haired couple who were all over each other, a stunning red head dragging along a petulant looking blonde, and two men holding hands; all of them ridiculously attractive. But Derek was captivated by those whiskey eyes that seemed to meet his in slow motion, Derek's heart thumping erratically and the man’s eyes widening._

_Right then, Derek knew he was hooked._

++

Laura slammed down a book on the kitchen table and Derek barely even flinched before dragging his eyes away from the window and looking up at his sister. "You need to go _out_ , Derek. You need to _do_ things and _talk_ to people. This isn't healthy. Erica said you barely passed your practice exam," she said sternly, hands on her hips though the concern was evident in her expression. 

Derek rolled his eyes and shook his head, glancing back out the window. "You should stop checking up on me with my friends, Laura. I'm an adult," he grumbled. He let out a truly frightening growl when she hit him across the head but she flashed her alpha red eyes at him threateningly. 

"Then stop moping around and act like one," Laura snapped fiercely. “Do you think this is what he would want? Because it isn’t. He would want you to keep moving with your life and your plans. You can’t put them all on hold because of this.”

"You don't get to tell me how to act, Laura. Not about this!" he shouted, shoving up from the table and letting his eyes flash blue in retaliation, claws dropping. He breathed heavily for a long few seconds in which Laura just stared at him in shock. "Not about Stiles. Just don't," he continued in a more subdued tone as he deflated, fingernails returning to their human bluntness as his shoulders curled inwards.

"Derek..."

"Just don't," Derek snapped again, straightening his shoulders and glancing back at the table where his breakfast sat untouched. "I'm not hungry anymore." He stormed away from the kitchen and up the stairs, closing the door to his bedroom. 

Laura stood there and wiped a hand over her eyes before clearing off the table and heading to work. She would need to call her mother if Derek kept up his unhealthy behavior but she would give him a few more days to deal with it himself first.

++

_"I'm so glad I met you," Stiles mumbled into Derek's shoulder and Derek grinned up at the sky, tightening his arm._

_"I've never been this happy," Derek admitted, tilting his head down and pushing sweaty hair from Stiles' forehead, laying a kiss there._

_"You're such a cheeseball," Stiles laughed and he pushed up to hover over Derek and kissed his lips, the collar of his shirt slipping down to show a cluster of moles on his clavicle where Derek pressed fingers. Stiles trailed a hand down Derek's jaw and pressed their foreheads together. "But that’s why I love you."_

_Derek could hear Stiles' heart speed up but there was no lie to the words and Derek's sped up in response. "I love you too," he whispered into the night air, quiet but for the song of the cicadas and the warm breeze rustling the grass in the field where they were parked._

_They were curled in a nest of blankets in the bed of Derek's Chevy truck and Derek was certain he'd never been so happy as he was then._

++

Derek tried his hardest to get back to normal, if not for his own sake then for his family's. He couldn't keep being the zombie that he'd been acting like the first few weeks. So he forced a smile and after awhile he thought people even started to believe it. 

But at night he still went to bed and he tossed and turned with nightmares until he woke up even more exhausted than he had been before he went to sleep. The only days that he got any sleep were the days when he found Stiles' letters in his mailbox because they were just another confirmation that Stiles was still alive, that somewhere on the earth Stiles still existed to let his hand move a pen across a page to form words meant for Derek. That was enough.

++

_"When do you have to leave?" Derek asked quietly, voice solemn and a frown on his lips._

_Stiles slid hands down Derek's cheeks and pressed a thumb between his brows to smooth out the wrinkles that formed there. "At the end of the summer, August twenty third..." he answered in a whisper as the air turned thick with the tension surrounding them. He was scared that Derek was going to just cut him off, end what they had. He didn't want to toss away their relationship and pass it off as just a fling but he didn't want to beg Derek either, he wouldn't._

_"But..you'll come back right? I mean...after? So if I wanted to wait for you, you'd come back to me?" Derek whispered and looked up at Stiles from beneath his lashes. Derek heard Stiles' heart skip with emotion._

_"You'd wait for me?" Stiles wondered aloud, like he thought it was absolutely crazy that anyone would be willing to wait._

_"Of course I would," Derek promised seriously and Stiles must have read the truth in his words because he tackled Derek back against the mattress with a heated kiss._

++

"Derek...Derek? Earth to Derek are you in there?" 

Derek blinked and glanced up to see Erica snapping her fingers in his face impatiently and he huffed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "I'm sorry. What- uh, what were you saying?" he asked sheepishly, fingers slipping into his pocket where Stiles' last letter was - the one from three weeks ago. He usually got at least two or three letters a week and he hadn't gotten any since. It was worrying him with every passing day.

Erica sighed and carded fingers through Derek's hair gently, patting his cheek once. "Cheer up, bucko. Not that much longer right?" she pointed out with a delicately arched brow. 

"Five and a half weeks..." Derek said back with a shrug. "But five and a half weeks is still forty three possible mornings that a soldier will show up on my porch to tell me that- to say that-" He was grateful that Erica reached out to cover his hands and cut off his words. 

"He's fine, Derek. You would know if he wasn't," she promised gently, squeezing his hands and then standing up. "Come on. You're not gonna get anymore studying done for your EMT-P exam this way. What you need is beer."

Derek sighed but packed up his books into his satchel before leveling Erica with a look. "We're picking up a twelve pack and going to watch baseball at your place. I don't feel like going out," he said firmly and Erica sighed heavily but nodded. 

"Fine. You're driving but I'll buy," she allowed and Derek led the way out of the library. 

++

_"Don't go," Derek begged, face pressed tightly into Stiles' neck and fists clenched in the back of his shirt. "Don't go. We can run away. Just the two of us."_

_Stiles huffed out a quiet laugh and sniffled against Derek's shoulder. "I wish I could, Derek. I really do. But my CO already saw me," he replied thickly._

_Derek clung to Stiles desperately until they heard the last call for Stiles' platoon and he tightened his hold before forcing himself back. His eyes were rimmed in red and he swiped at them viciously even as Stiles' reached up with tender calloused fingers to brush away his tears._

_"Just come back to me, okay? Alive. In one piece if you can manage it," Derek begged in a choked off voice and Stiles nodded fiercely._

_"I will. I promise."_

_More tears fell from Derek's eyes and then he jerked his head towards the huge C-17 that was waiting for him. "I'll be here."_

_"You'd better," Stiles threatened and he paused briefly before launching himself back at Derek, stealing a brief kiss. He wrenched away and stepped back, staring at Derek even as he hugged Scott and his dad tightly. With one last look at them all Stiles gave a quick salute before picking up his bag and heading for the carrier bravely._

_Derek stood there on the Tarmac with Scott and the Sheriff, tears rolling down their faces as the plane took off and took Stiles away into a warzone. This was one thing Derek couldn't protect Stiles from and it was going to potentially kill them both._

++

"So?!" Laura demanded impatiently from where she, Erica, and Allison were hovering. 

At that point, Boyd, Scott, Lydia, and Isaac were Derek's favorites because they were actually waiting patiently. Cora wasn't even paying attention so she didn't count in either category. 

Derek shot his older sister a glare and couldn't help but wish Stiles was there too. After all it was Stiles who had given Derek the push to finally finish his paramedic training, who had inspired him again and made him want to do better with his life than just working odd jobs around town. Stiles should be with him. 

But he couldn’t be, so Derek took a deep breath and ripped open the envelope. He could feel the girls vibrating with poorly concealed excitement as he pulled out the papers and scanned over them briefly, reading the words as quickly as he dared so that none of them would snatch them away impatiently. His heart sped up and he folded the papers back up calmly, looking around at them all. Their faces fell for a moment but then Derek gave a small smile. 

"I passed," he breathed out and his living room went up in a haze of excitement. Someone popped a bottle of wine and glasses were passed around, everyone squeezing or patting some part of Derek. He just wished that Stiles was there to share in the excitement with him. 

The doorbell rang a little bit later and Erica perked up, offering to go get it. Derek didn't pay much attention because he'd heard her and Cora ordering a pizza so he figured it must just be the delivery guy. But then two pairs of footsteps were coming closer and Derek was pretty sure delivery guys didn’t come into houses, so he looked up curiously as Erica stepped into the room. 

"I have a surprise present for you!" Erica beamed and then Derek's heart stopped because- because that was Stiles stepping around the corner into Derek and Laura’s living room.

Stiles stopped and gave Derek a lopsided grin, reaching up to take his cap off and revealing his shorn chestnut hair that had been cut in the traditional Marine high and tight - shorn almost to the scalp on the sides and back and left a bit longer on top. Derek could see that he had a new scar on the edge of his jawline and he seemed to be favoring his right shoulder but he was whole and alive and Derek could hear his heart beating strong and steady. 

"I heard there was a celebration. Sorry I didn't bring a present," Stiles teased and Derek let out a half sob half laugh before he was surging forward, beating Scott to it. 

He swept Stiles up into his arms and cried openly against his neck, grinning so widely he was sure his face would split in half. He didn't even care though because it was Stiles. 

"I missed you so fucking much," he gasped out and then he was pressing kisses all over Stiles' face while Stiles laughed in delight. 

"I missed you too, Sourwolf," Stiles replied and there was nothing but happiness in his slightly raw voice as their heads ducked close together again.

"Welcome home," Derek breathed. 

The others then must have decided they'd given them enough time because everyone was piling in to hug Stiles' tightly until they were all a mess of tears and laughter and tangled limbs and one collective heartbeat. Derek had never been so happy in his entire life. Of that he was absolutely certain.

**Author's Note:**

> Idk about you but I think high and tight hair cuts are sexy as fuck. (That could just be that I have a huge military kink though.)  
> For those of you who don't know, [this is a High and Tight haircut](http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee136/suwarnaadi/militaryhaircut.jpg) typically used by military personnel.
> 
> Come play with me on [tumblr](http://failwolfhale.tumblr.com)!


End file.
